On New Year's Day
by seditionary
Summary: A deadly explosion brings Batman to the Joker; he has an ulterior motive for attracting his attention. One shot. Mature content, slash.


**A/N: This was written for the Knight vs. Anarchy prompt "New Year's Eve." It has some fairly explicit M/M sex, implied violence, bad language, so be warned! And, please review! Thank you!**

**Seds**

******

After the blast--after the sirens, after the cries and screams that had filled the streets twenty-four hours earlier--the barricaded block of 1900 N. Cicero was oppressively quiet on New Year's Day.

The Joker strolled through the rubble, a king surveying his kingdom. Some areas were still smoking, while others still stood, as if the building's skeleton was shaking a fist at the man responsible for its downfall. The madman grinned at the thought, and cheerfully kicked a mangled window frame out of his path.

The blood-red evening sky was reflected in the shards of glass that decorated the crazy-quilt of destruction, and a cold wind began to blow bits of paper here and there.

The bodies had been cleared away. They had to bring in dogs to help; the debris was piled so high, it was impossible to be sure that they'd got them all just by looking. The smell of scorched flesh hung in the air. The Joker inhaled deeply, and smiled again. His pleased expression deepened as he looked to the side and saw the cape flap and flutter around the man striding toward him. He offered a low laugh and a wink by way of greeting.

"Batman--so glad you could make it. What do you think of my handiwork?" The Joker spread his arms wide apart and made a bit of a pirouette on the mound of brick and iron below his feet. He raised an eyebrow as though waiting for a serious response to his question.

"You sick bastard." The familiar, rasping voice.

"So, you approve? Good, I was afraid you wouldn't like it."

"You'll be glad to hear they kept your room just as you left it back at Arkham." Batman advanced on his nemesis, who stood pat. A gust of wind blew his purple coat open, revealing the orange lining. He nodded and removed a knife from his pocket.

"Well, how considerate of them. I trust you intend to escort me back there?"

"That's the plan."

"I love it when other people make plans. Brings out the prankster in me."

"Quite a prank you pulled _here."_

"How else was I going to get your attention?" The Joker raised the knife toward Batman's face and waggled it playfully. The bigger man slapped it away and grabbed the Joker's arm. The Joker brought his knee up and planted a kick squarely in Batman's stomach, pushing him away just enough for the clown to easily scamper out of reach.

"You're so easy, Bats. I can play you like a cheap violin, you know that?"

"Why do you do these things, Joker? Why--"

Batman's rhetorical question was cut off when the Joker disappeared before his eyes. Batman rushed to the site and saw a hole in the ground. Taking a deep breath, he leapt in; he fell for several feet and landed in the debris-filled entrance to the destroyed building's underground. It was dark, and he could feel rather than see that the Joker was gone. Batman took a flashlight from his belt and cast the beam around, revealing four tunnels. At the entrance to the one farthest away, Batman could discern something hanging from a fallen beam. As he approached, he saw it was the Joker's overcoat. Puzzled, he walked past it into the tunnel.

He walked quickly but cautiously until he came to where the tunnel split into three halls; at the entrance to one, the Joker had placed his jacket. Batman entered and strode along until he came to another off-shoot; here, a green vest had been left.

At the end of the dank hallway, a set of stairs led upwards; a tie was hung over the handrail. Batman took the steps two at a time and found himself in a different, apparently occupied apartment building. He saw a pair of suspenders at the landing of the upper floor and headed to it. From there, the hall split in two, and the left-hand side was marked with a patterned shirt. Pursing his lips, Batman took off at a run, only to come upon a door at the end of the hallway; a pair of shoes was positioned as if the invisible owner were standing on tiptoe.

Cursing, Batman kicked them aside and opened the door; he strode into a dumpy apartment with battered furniture and surveyed the unoccupied room. Another door had a pair of trousers hanging on the knob. He threw them aside, opened the door and was in a hallway with three doors. The one at the end had a pair of underwear hanging on the knob.

Distastefully, Batman pulled them off, dropped them, and then entered a bedroom illuminated by the fading light of evening streaming through a dirty window. There on the bed was the Joker, naked except for his socks and a big grin. A bottle of champagne and two glasses were on the nightstand. Batman stared.

"What the fuck--"

"Come in, Bats, join me. Let's usher in the New Year in style." He patted the bed beside him and Batman stood still, considering what to do. He took a few steps toward the bed. The Joker held out his hand, and Batman reluctantly took it and allowed himself to be pulled down into a kiss. He sat on the edge of the bed and took command of the warm painted lips. The Joker settled in, kissing as if there were nothing else in the world but the two of them. Batman found himself slipping into the same delusion, liking the feel of the scar tissue on the inside of the Joker's cheeks, the warm slippery wetness of his lips, his scent. The play of the Joker's tongue sent electric shocks of pleasure into his groin. Grappling with his rationality, he forced himself to pull back for a minute.

"I can't do this. You're a murderer, you're crazy--"

"Yeah, crazy about you! Admit it, Bats, this has been a long time coming. Do you really want another year to go by without doing anything about it?" Batman stared into the dark, mischievous eyes and was helpless to do anything but help himself to another kiss. The power of the Joker's presence overwhelmed him, and he found himself pulling off his gauntlets. He ran a hand over the Joker's cheek, and the madman leaned into the caress. He then pulled Batman's hand down to his erection. He held Batman's gaze with glittering eyes as Batman reflexively grasped the straining member.

"This is wrong," Batman blurted, and the Joker laughed.

"That's what makes it so much fun. Why don't you get more comfortable? Here, let me help--" The Joker frowned in concentration and fumbled with Batman's suit; the bigger man stood up and, refusing to let his brain engage, stripped off everything but his mask.

The Joker stared appreciatively at the man before him, giggled and shook his head.

"It's like unwrapping a belated Christmas gift! You're beautiful, Bats. Come here." Batman obeyed, lying down next to the madman and allowing the Joker to wrap himself around him, quieting him with another deep kiss. He closed his eyes and felt the Joker's hand on him, stroking and squeezing his cock. He felt as if he couldn't catch his breath, then the warm hand slid between his legs and fondled his balls.

"God--" Batman gasped. The Joker snickered.

"Like that, big guy? How about this?" A long, slender finger gently probed at Batman's entrance and he pulled away.

"No--don't do that."

"Hmm, not the catcher type, huh? I figured as much. Fine, I can work with that." The Joker rolled away and reached for a tube stashed in the nightstand drawer. He applied the gel to Batman's cock and then straddled him. Batman looked up at the ravaged face and watched intently as the Joker took him into his entrance, slowly easing the thick rod into himself with low grunts. He stared back at Batman, smiling slightly. When he was fully seated he leaned forward and kissed him. Batman heard him scrabbling in the drawer again and a warning light went off in his head. Too late, he realized the Joker had a knife in his hand. He grabbed his hand but the Joker said softly, "Trust me."

"You really must be insane if you think--"

"Just trust me."

Batman slowly released his grip on the Joker's hand and then felt the knife on his neck. The blade was cold and he shivered as the tip was drawn lightly over his flesh, down to his chest to languidly circle his nipple. The Joker was sitting still, but once he had elicited another shiver from Batman, he slowly began rocking his hips back and forth. The pleasure from his movements made Batman groan and he no longer resisted when he felt the tip of the blade trace something like a bat on his stomach.

The Joker smiled as a thin line of blood illustrated the outline of his drawing; he paused in his grinding to make a shallow cut across the expanse of Batman's chest. Batman writhed, as frustrated by the cessation of movement as he was shocked by the pain.

"Move, damn it," he hissed and the Joker chuckled.

"You're so much fun," he said admiringly as he began to comply. He supported himself on outstretched arms and began riding his lover in earnest. Batman moaned and when he turned his head, he saw the blood-tinged knife by his head. He didn't care. He didn't care if he died at that moment, but somehow he knew he wouldn't. The Joker stroked himself until he came with a primal cry and continued rocking back and forth until the waves of orgasm ceased. He rolled off of Batman, who immediately relieved him of the knife and then knelt between the Joker's legs and roughly re-entered him.

Batman thrust violently into the clown and felt like screaming. The Joker was right, this was a long time coming, and now that it was happening, he almost couldn't bear the cacophony of emotions rising in his chest. It didn't matter, nothing the clown had done mattered, nothing in the world mattered except this moment, this second. At this moment, they were one.

Batman came and collapsed on top of the Joker.

The sun had set and the streaks of red had faded to black. The cuts on Batman's torso were throbbing with heat and the aftermath of orgasm soothed him almost to the point of sleep. He listened to the Joker's ragged breath as it slowed to normal and the pounding of his own heart began to ease. The horror of what he had just done with the madman began to seep into his sex-addled mind and Batman raised his head. He rolled off the Joker and began dressing.

"Put your clothes on."

"Mm. Well, that'll be a bit of a scavenger hunt, you might remember. Anyway, don't you want champagne?" The Joker popped the cork and poured two glasses. He handed one to Batman. They clinked glasses and each took a sip.

"Happy New Year, Bats."

"Happy New Year. You'll be spending it in Arkham."

The Joker shrugged and swallowed the rest of his champagne. Batman pulled a pair of handcuffs out of his belt and clapped one on the Joker's wrist, the other on his own. He led him to the hall and handed him his underwear. The Joker obediently pulled them on with Batman's help, and they began retracing their trail through the tunnels, retrieving the Joker's discarded clothing as they went, until they were back near the opening to the surface. Batman took off the handcuff to allow the Joker to get dressed, then restrained him again.

They climbed out, and picked their way through the rubble, heading for Batman's vehicle. Batman opened the rear door and was about to guide the Joker inside, when the Joker pointed toward the demolished building.

"All right, Bats. I'll go back to the loony bin. But, just keep this image in your mind--if you don't become a regular visitor of mine, this little game will become--routine."

The Joker leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "I spent all last year playing cat and mouse with you, and this is what it took to get us together. Don't make me blow up the rest of Gotham just so I can spend a little time with you. Understand?" He peered inquiringly at Batman, and he nodded.

"I'll be there. Once a week." To the Joker's surprise a slow smile spread across Batman's lips.

"That's my New Year's resolution." He guided the Joker into the car, secured him, and planted a deep kiss on his scarred lips before shutting the door.

The Joker made a skeptical sound. "People usually break New Year's resolutions somewhere around the third week of January."

"I don't. I haven't had a cigarette in ten years."

The Joker grinned as the car pulled past a barricade and onto a clear street.

He had a feeling that this was going to be a very good year.


End file.
